Best Birthday Ever
by Strausser
Summary: Yaoish. Happy Birthday Deathmask! Food, friends and fighting what could be more fun? DeathmaskDite DeathmaskSaga MysteryPairing Second Chances Timeline.


**Title**: Best Birthday Ever  
**Author**: Strausser  
**Rating**: R  
**Warnings**: m/m kissing, drunkenness, insults, language, sexual innuendo  
**Pairings**: Deathmask/Aphrodite, a little Deathmask/Saga?/?  
**Spoilers**: Hades saga  
**Timeline**: _Second Chances  
_**Disclaimer**: Kurumada Masami-sensei owns and operates Saint Seiya. I just enjoy abusing Deathmask.

Sanctuary was warm in June. This day, the sky was deep blue, without a cloud, the sun a bright beacon of radiating heat. Deathmask descended the stairs from the Kyokou's temple in total bliss after a long, relaxing soak in the private spa, it being his birthday and all. Not that he would mention that fact to anyone, nor did he think anyone would wish him a happy one. He may have been the one to organize everyone else's birthday celebration, but when it came to his own, he'd just as soon let it pass unnoticed. Though, there was one who he knew was probably devising something wonderful to celebrate this day. As he entered the Pisces temple, his stomach jumped with excitement.

"Yo, Dite!" he called out. Waited. No response. "Dite! Are you still asleep?" He extended his Cosmos to meet that of the owner of the temple, but quickly pulled back upon realizing that nobody was there. Odd. It did not bother him, it just felt strange. While he was up at the Kyokou's temple, Aphrodite must have gone out. No matter, thought Deathmask with a smirk. His little _pesce_ would be back soon enough, and would have to pass through his temple to get to the top, and when that happened, old Cancer could pounce.

Extending his Cosmos, he made his way past the rest of the temples to get to his own, noting with some satisfied curiosity whose presence he felt in which temple. Aquarius and Capricorn were empty, Aiolos was absent, Milo and Camus were in Scorpio, as usual Dohko and Shion were in Libra, Shaka was nowhere to be found, Aioria was out. Nobody came out of their quarters to green him, just as nobody did on his way up. Not that he cared. Eventually they would realize what month it was, even if it was a few days late.

Back at his own temple, he decided to start on lunch. Something Italian, to celebrate his heritage, and because it was his favorite to cook. Gathering the freshest ingredients that he had purchased at the marketplace yesterday, he laid out a spread on the island, began at one end and finished at the other. Vegetables cut and chopped, pots filled and on the fire, meat tenderized, everything was set for a fantastic seven-course meal. Over the course of the next six hours he created scrumptious dishes: Calamari Fritti, Arancine and Carciofi Imbattiti appetizers; Insalata Tricolore; Ribollita; Gnocchi di Patate, Filetto di Bue con Giambotta di Verdure, Involtini di Vitello, Pollo alla Cacciatore and Scampini for the meal; Insalada di Verza, Ravanelli Saltati, and Giambotta for sides; and Struffoli and Cannoli for dessert.(1) Absently, he wondered if he should start his own cooking show on closed-circuit television. _Cooking with Deathmask_, only on **Channel Sanctuary**. If as a child he wanted to be one of Athena's Gold Saints, as an adult he wanted to open his own restaurant.

Once the meal was complete, he laid each dish on his dining table but set no plates. If anyone actually showed up to share lunch, they could get their own plates. He poured himself a large glass of red wine, medium-bodied Italian Chianti and sat down on his couch to drink and daydream about nothing.

Halfway through the glass there was a knock at the door. Smiling, he placed the glass on the coffee table that sat before the couch and rose to answer. Thinking it to be Aphrodite, he put on his best grin and flew the door open wide. His smile turned into a crooked mock when on the other side of the door was not the lover he had been waiting for, but his downstairs neighbor Saga.

"Not pleased to see me, I take it?" asked Saga with a smile.

Deathmask shook off his disappointment in a flash, then flashed his shit-eating grin. "I am always happy to see you. What brings you here today?" He wondered for a moment if Saga, one of his best friends, would remember what day it was.

"I smelled your cooking and wondered if you would like some company."

Ah, of course. Deathmask moved to the side and gestured Saga in with a bow and an arm across his chest. Once inside, Deathmask closed the door and followed Saga into the dining room.

"Wow," said Saga with eyes wide. "This is quite a feast. Expecting more?"

"Nope. I had lots of food that would spoil soon, so I decided to cook it all in one shot." A little white lie, but he said it with such conviction that he knew Saga would believe him.

"Ah." Saga looked at each of the dishes in turn, then brought his eyes back up to Deathmask. "Plates?"

"Take a seat; I'll serve."

Saga did just that, and Deathmask grabbed plates from the kitchen and served them both. As he sat down to enjoy the meal, he was glad Saga had decided to join him. It was nice to have company, especially when that company was somebody as close to him as the Gemini.

The meal was eaten amongst gossip and laughter. Somehow, Deathmask always knew what was going on in Sanctuary, and liked to speculate about what was going to happen as well. Saga had always been a good listener; now was no exception. And even though he did not contribute as much to the conversation, his interjections always made Deathmask stop and think for a moment. They finished off three bottles of wine together, then fell onto the couch happily full and decidedly drunk.

"No way!" shouted Saga in-between laughter.

"Yes, way! I saw it with my own eyes!" Deathmask shouted back.

"A squirrel?"

"I'm telling you, that big bad Gold Saint is afraid of a little squirrel." He laughed. "I've never seen anyone jump that high."

Saga was laughing so hard his head fell to Deathmask's shoulder. "I think you are making the whole thing up."

"Am not! How could you not believe me, Saga?!"

Saga looked up with mirthful eyes. "Because I know what you are capable of."

Deathmask smiled back. "You suck."

"Not nearly as much as you."

Deathmask sighed. Everything was hazy and fuzzy and Saga was warmth beside him. Moving down brought his nose to Saga's hair, and he inhaled deeply. Why was it that almost all the Gold Saints used floral-scented shampoo? Even Deathmask himself used it, but that was because of Aphrodite's insistence. The flower-boy said he would stop talking to the rugged Cancer if said Cancer did not use sweet-smelling shampoo. Soap, too. And, like in everything Deathmask did for Aphrodite, he went shopping that same day for the new shower stuffs. Why that memory came to him he did not know, so he remembered, then concentrated on how good Saga felt against him.

"Cat got your tongue?" asked Saga.

"I'd rather **you** got my tongue," replied Deathmask smiling.

Saga let out a curt laugh. "In your dreams."

"Oh?" asked Deathmask, holding Saga closer to him. "Why do you say that? I'll have you know that I've always been very attracted to you."

"The feeling is not mutual."

"Come off it, Saga. Don't try to act like the pristine virgin I know you're not." He smirked as his eyes fell upon the necklace around Saga's neck. "Or is it because your heart belongs to another that you can't allow me to ravage you." He fingered the circular charm at the end of the rope.

Saga pulled back, separating his charm from Deathmask's fingers. "Do not go there."

"So you and Aiolos **aren't** getting back together?"

"I said, don't."

"If you are trying to say that this necklace was a farewell gift instead of a 'come back to me' gift, I'll slap you across the face."

"Just leave it alone, Deathmask. I don't want to talk about it."

The mood had changed so abruptly with the shift in conversation that for a moment, Deathmask was stunned. He glared at Saga, who was now no longer warming his side. There was a surge of anger within him; how could Saga avoid talking to him about something so obviously painful when he was more than happy to lend an ear? He did want to slap Saga, punch him right across the face, then force him to get over himself. The past was the past; no use crying over spilt milk. Better to get over what happened now than allow it to fester within and ruin the new life they were given. But as he glared at his friend, he began to feel sorry for Saga. So difficult it had been for Saga to come to terms with who he was and what he had done. Deathmask had done a lot in the past to harm others too, but he never felt guilty about it, not after believing he had paid his dues by sacrificing himself for Athena. Saga, however, was different. He was always a bit too hard on himself, even when they were younger. Why did Deathmask think now would be any different?

Unexpectedly, Saga fell back against his side. "'M sorry," he said as he snuggled. "I'm drunk."

Deathmask chuckled and ruffled Saga's hair. "Don't worry. You'll tell me when you want to."

There was silence for a moment, for them to revel in their friendship, and when Saga took a loud intake of breath, Deathmask awaited words he was sure to follow.

"Tell me, Deathmask. How could the cruelest of all us Gold Saints have fallen so deeply in love?"

That question made him flinch as he widened his eyes. That was unexpected, but not something he did not have an answer to. Wrapping his arm once more around Saga's waist, he took in a breath to collect his thoughts, and answered the best he could. "I don't really know."

"That's your answer? I must say it is a bit of a disappointment. I was expecting something much more lengthy and philosophical."

Deathmask squeezed Saga's side. "Don't get cheeky, Saga, I wasn't finished."

"Oh. Then please, continue."

"Well, as you may or may not have been aware, Dite and I have been having sex way before we died the first time."

"Really? I was not aware. But, then again, at that time I only had one thing on my mind." Saga lowered his voice. "And it was not even my mind."

"Be that as it may," Deathmask continued, "Dite and I formed a strong bond of friendship, but there was no love, at least not on my end. It wasn't until we were reborn by Hades that we realized how deep our feelings ran for each other. And, surprising enough, it was Dite who confessed his feelings first."

"So why Aphrodite? Out of all the others, why him? What made you so attracted to him?"

"I think it was because he was the only one who I could never get under me."

"Never get under you?" asked Saga with a smile. "Does that mean you are always the bottom?"

"I'll leave that to your imagination," replied Deathmask. "But more than that, he is beautiful, strong, confident and can handle any shit I throw at him. Plus, he always smells really good."

Saga chuckled. "Surrounded by all those flowers, who wouldn't?"

Deathmask smiled. "Mm."

"That still does not explain why you turned into such a nice guy."

"I'm not a nice guy."

"Yes you are. You have to be the nicest guy in all of Sanctuary. I'll bet that you'd do anything asked of you, probably with a lot of complaining, but you'd still do it."

"I would not!"

"Don't lie to me, boy. I know you better than you know yourself."

Deathmask grimaced, annoyed that Saga could deduce something that he had kept hidden even from himself. Drunk as he was, he could no longer deny Saga's accusations. "Okay. Two reasons for that." He held up two fingers. "One, I realized that none of you are my enemies." Middle finger went down. "And two, it's your fault that I learned how to love." Forefinger went down.

"My fault? How is it my fault that you decided to scrap your demon for an angel? Were you taking notes when I did that to mine?"

"No, Saga, you have dissociative identity disorder. It's not the same as making a conscious decision to follow Satan."

"Stop getting off topic and answer the question."

Deathmask squeezed Saga's side gently. "It's not **your** fault. It's everyone's fault, all eleven Gold Saints, probably Kanon too if I think about it. When we stood before the Wailing Wall ready to burn our Cosmos to the brightest, I could feel everyone around me. Dead as I was, I could still feel all their thoughts and emotions pouring through me, things that I had never given a moment's notice to. The strange thing was, my thoughts were one and the same. Love. Love for Athena, love for each other, even love for those stupid Bronze brats. Never in my life had I loved anyone or anything, except killing of course."

"Of course," quipped Saga.

"But at that moment, as their love poured through me, I felt the same. I could not explain it then and I can't explain it now, but I could not deny that feeling, for it is that which allowed us to create sunlight. I know it was."

"And you carried those emotions with you after death, and you have them still?"

"Yes."

Saga stared up at Deathmask with a disbelieving expression. "So you love everyone?"

"Yes."

"Everyone? Come on, Deathmask, you cannot love everyone."

"I do."

"Even Aioria?"

"Even that loud-mouthed little brat, Aioria."

Saga chuckled. "Okay, how about Shaka?"

"Yes. Even that distant, difficult, blind, inappropriately named Virgo."

Saga laughed again. "Okay, but you can't tell me you hold any love for Milo."

Deathmask lowered his head. "I do."

"You love Milo?"

"Yes." Deathmask's head shot up along with a fist. "But I wanna punch him square in the face every time I see him." Eyes wide, he looked at Saga. "That's love, right?"

Saga laughed again. "Yes. That is love." The laughter continued. "So what of your quest for power? Abandoning all in favor of being resident chef and party planner?"

Deathmask felt his cheeks heat, remembering just when it was that his quest for being all-powerful was nullified. "I, um, don't have that desire any longer."

"Why not?"

"Because after I died and woke up in Hades, I discovered what it was like to be powerless, and found that I enjoyed it."

"You? Enjoyed being powerless? I can't believe it. Is the world coming to an end?"

"Always gotta twist the knife in a little deeper, don't you, Saga?"

"Keeps you honest. Now, I am certain there is a story there and I want to hear it."

Deathmask's face flushed more, to the tips of his ears. That was a story he certainly was not going to tell, especially not to Saga, who would hold it over his head like an anvil for the rest of his life. Perhaps, in the future, he could divulge the secret, but not this early. "Let's just say I willingly gave up control of myself to another and leave it at that."

Saga nodded, seeming to understand. "I see. Now I understand why you like Aphrodite so much. Though, I would think that Shaka would have been a better choice. He'd even tie you up."

"Figures Shaka would be into that kinky stuff."

Abruptly, Saga yawned. "I'm sleepy."

"If you are comfortable, take a nap."

Saga looked up, half-lidded green eyes glazed with drunken stupor. Deathmask smiled down at him as he ran a hand down the length of Saga's hair. The Gemini shifted, clutched at the front of Deathmask's shirt and brought his face up. They stared for silent moments, until Saga closed the distance between them to press their lips together.

Deathmask was taken aback by the bold move of his friend, but quickly forgot his shock and kissed back. He dominated the kiss by thrusting his tongue deep into Saga's mouth. Just as he began to run his hands down the shirt to the hem at the bottom, Saga pushed him away.

"What. . . what am I doing?"

Deathmask smirked. "It's called kissing."

Saga glared. "I know what it's called. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're not half-bad. Now come back and let me plunder your lips some more."

"I can't."

"Why not?" No answer. "C'mon Saga, when was the last time you had sex with anyone?"

"Um, last night."

"Your brother doesn't count. It's like masturbating with a mirror."

"Still, I can't."

"Give me one good reason."

"You're taken."

"You mean Dite?" He wrapped his arms around Saga's waist and clasped his hands. "Dite doesn't care who I sleep with as long as I tell him about it. Besides, I think he'd be more jealous that I got to have sex with you before he did. I **would** be first, right?"

Saga turned his head but did not pull from the embrace. "How could you be so open like that? I would not want to share my boyfriend with anybody."

"Oh, right, and you didn't sleep with Kanon and Rhadamanthys when he last visited."

Saga's eyes widened. "How did you know about that?"

"And I quote, '_Thank you for sharing our union with your mirror image, for it brought us closer as a family._' End quote."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that."

"Sooo?"

"I still can't. It wouldn't be right. Maybe if Dite were here. . ."

Deathmask grimaced. He knew Saga would never relent, not now, probably not ever. There was always a part of him that wanted to be intimate with Saga, before when Saga held all the power, and even now, though he had a lover he was deeply in love with and knew that Saga's heart lied with Aiolos. It would have been the best birthday present ever, but it was a gift most unattainable.

"Tease," said Deathmask with a smile and no malice.

Saga leaned back against Deathmask's chest. "I think I should go home before you take advantage of my drunken state."

"Fine then. You go home, but when you dream, your dreams will be of me."

Saga pat him on the chest. "Whatever you say." He pulled gently from the arms that slackened, stretched, yawned, then turned back. Deathmask rose from the couch. "Thank you for the wonderful mean and the lack of intelligent conversation."

"Thank you for making me hard and not getting me off," Deathmask retorted.

Saga smiled. "Your welcome." He embraced Deathmask tightly, to which the hug was returned just as strong, and when they parted, Deathmask could see glitter in his friend's eyes.

"Have a good night," said Saga as he took steps away.

"You too." Deathmask raised a hand in farewell, matched by the Gemini, as he watched his friend walk out of the living quarters of the Cancer temple. He extended his Cosmos to feel that of the other, to be sure Saga did not trip down the stairs on his way home. Once he could no longer feel Saga's Cosmos, he plopped himself back on the couch and threw his head back. Eyes closed automatically, sending him to slumber.

Waking abruptly, he could feel the distinct Cosmos of two enter his temple. The room spun when he opened his eyes to remind him of just how drunk he still was. Extending his Cosmos, he found that the two who were in his temple were none other than his lover and his other best friend, whose Cosmos felt wobbled, but perhaps that was because of all the liquor that still coursed through his system. Rising, catching his balance, he exited the living quarters and entered the main hall of the temple just in time to see Aphrodite and Shura walk past, arms around each others' shoulders, talking loudly and stumbling. Deathmask smirked; they were drunk too.

"Not even gonna say hi to me, are ya?" he asked them,

Aphrodite jumped, sending Shura stumbling backwards. Both clutched their chests and glared glassy-eyed at Deathmask, who leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed and one leg over the other.

"Shit, Deathy, you scared the shit out of me," said Aphrodite.

_Deathy_? That was a new one. He stared fondly at his Pisces lover, thinking about how much fun they could have drunk in bed. "Come inside."

Aphrodite smiled a brilliant, if not lopsided smile, grabbed Shura by the wrist and bowled toward the door. At the frame he tripped, to be caught by Deathmask's arm, which almost brought them both down, but managed to catch his balance and enter. Deathmask gave Shura a wink, to which he received a half-smile, then followed the two into the living quarters and closed the door behind.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, an automatic question. Any time anyone entered his temple he offered them food, no exceptions.

"No, thank you," answered Shura.

Deathmask walked close to them and stood nose-to-nose with Aphrodite. He could smell the liquor on the Pisces' breath. "Getting drunk without me?" He smiled.

"You weren't home," replied Aphrodite hotly. "Besides," he thrust a finger hard against Deathmask's chest, "I don't have to go everywhere with **you**."

Deathmask chuckled. His Dite looked fuzzy, hazy and beautiful in the Cancer temple lighting. He could not help but lean forward and kiss his love on the lips gently. "Stay over."

Aphrodite stared, blinked, then blinked again. "But that wouldn't be fair to Shura. I can't let him climb the stairs by himself."

Deathmask looked at his other friend, who was standing close at his side. Eyes back on Aphrodite, he said, "The Goat can stay, too."

Shura grimaced. "Gee, thanks."

"No," said Aphrodite resolutely. "I won't have Shura sleeping on your couch all night."

"No couch," said Deathmask. He turned to Shura and placed his arms on the Capricorn's shoulders and interlocked fingers behind his neck. "You can sleep with us."

Shura's flushed cheeks seemed to flush more, but that could have been the lighting. He ducked out of Deathmask's grip. "Do you really think I would soil my reputation by sleeping with you?"

Deathmask just stood smiling.

"Are you saying my reputation is soiled because of him?" asked Aphrodite to Shura.

The Capricorn stared at Deathmask with half a grin. "Soiled beyond repair."

"Hey! That's not fair. I'm not evil; I'm just misunderstood."

"Who else but you would bring a haunted house to Sanctuary?" Shura's eyes glittered.

Deathmask put on his best affronted expression. "I can't believe you would dis my haunted house. Admit it, you loved it!"

"I would rather have all my teeth pulled out without Novocain than spend one second in your creepy temple."

The Cancer lifted the corners of his mouth in an insane grin, then pointed a finger up in the air. Cosmos lifted from the finger, the beginning of his ultimate attack. "How bout spending an eternity here?"

Shura grinned and lifted his arm to emulate his greatest attack. "How about I carve out that sharp tongue of yours?"

Deathmask was impressed by the comeback. He lowered his finger and grimaced. "Tin can."

Shura lowered his hand. "Coat hanger."

Aphrodite sighed loudly, bringing all eyes to him. "I'm going home. I'm drunk and tired and in no mood to listen to you two call each other names for the next hour." He tried to take a step, lost his footing, and was caught by Deathmask before his body could fall halfway to the floor.

"You sure you can make it?" asked the Cancer.

"I'll be fine," said the Pisces. "Now get off me."

Deathmask righted his love, stared at him, then gave into impulse and kissed those lips deeply. Aphrodite responded for the most part, but the kiss was still drunkenly sloppy and lazily slack. When they parted, Deathmask held his face close to his Dite.

"'_If you were to leave me, my tears would fill the lands like the rains of Poseidon's fury._'"

Aphrodite stuck out his tongue in disgust. "I had thought for one day I would be spared your awful poetry."

"Hey, I don't write it, I just recite it."

Aphrodite pushed him off. "Fine, whatever, I'm going to bed." He stumbled away toward the living quarter's door.

Deathmask watched, feeling nothing but extreme love for the Pisces, wondering how he got so lucky as to have the world's most perfect boyfriend. He put an arm around Shura's shoulders and held him in a loose headlock. "You gonna take care of my Dite for me, Shura? Make sure he gets upstairs and into bed safely?"

"Of course," answered Shura.

"Make sure none of those horny bastards take advantage of him."

Shura suppressed a laugh. "The only horny bastard who wants to take advantage of Dite is you, Deathmask."

Deathmask tightened his hold on Shura's neck, brought his lips to Shura's cheek and kissed him with a loud, echoing smack.

"Ah! You kissed me!" cried Shura, struggling to escape but using such little force that he was not able. "Now I am contaminated for life!"

Deathmask let go and stepped to the side. "That was the point. Now get out of here, tin can."

Shura smiled back, then jumped when his arm was latched onto by Aphrodite.

"Hurry up, Shura. Get me home."

For the final time, the Capricorn and the Cancer exchanged a look that spoke volumes without saying a word, then the two who did not belong left the Cancer temple. Deathmask watched them leave until he could no longer see them, then extended his Cosmos so he could feel theirs, which he felt until they were halfway up the stairs that led from Cancer to Leo.

Back in his temple, still drunk but very happy, he milled over the events of the day. Not bad for a birthday nobody remembered, though it was nothing like the day he would have planned had somebody actually had remembered. His thoughts fell to his friends, his two best, Saga and Shura, and his one love, Dite, and all that happened between them. What he had said to Saga was true; he did love them all. And for the next few years he planned on spending his time proving it to them, except when he wanted to play evil tricks on them. Funny thoughts raced through his buzzed mind, causing him to laugh.

Food put away, table clean, he removed his clothing and lay down on his bed. Feeling good, yet disappointed that nobody wanted to give into his desires, he spent some time pleasuring himself before curling around his spare pillow and falling into a deep sleep. Another year gone, another year ahead, and so much more to look forward to. He could hardly wait.

Shura drew the blanket up to Aphrodite's chin, tucked in the edges and smoothed out the cotton. He stared down at the beauty who was the Pisces Saint with a small smile on his lips and eyes that glittered with the haze of drunkenness, but with a head clearer than a summer's day. The blue eyes of his friend looked back at him, also glazed and half-lidded. As if pulled by an invisible string, Shura leaned down and brought their lips together in a kiss that was at first chaste, but quickly turned into an all-out tongue duel. Though slackened, Aphrodite kissed back, to Shura's great surprise and delight. He sat down upon the bed and leaned over the Pisces.

"Did you have fun today?" he asked with a fond smile.

"Yes," Aphrodite answered, closing his eyes.

"I'm glad." Shura leaned down and kissed him again, but found that the lips were much less responsive than they had been only a moment ago. Alarmed, he pulled back.

"Dite?"

There was no response. Shura's surprise quickly turned to understanding as he watched the other man breathe. Seems Aphrodite had been quite exhausted and promptly passed out upon head hitting pillow. Shura leaned down, kissed Aphrodite's forehead gently, then rose to leave the Pisces temple. Before exiting, he smiled once more at the temple and at the owner who could not see the expression.

With a loud sigh, Shura stood at the entrance to the Pisces temple to look down on all of sleeping Sanctuary. The night was warm, not too warm, but warm enough even with the assistance of a cool breeze. The tranquility that was Sanctuary was lost on him, for his mind was in utter turmoil. For the entire day he could think of nothing else, nothing but his true want and heart's desire, and knew he was headed down a path he should not tread. It could not be helped; as much as he tried to ignore it, it continued to fester like a wound that would not heal. One or more would be hurt deeply if he continued, and his own life may be lost in the process, but he could no more turn his back on the new path than pretend he was not one of Athena's Gold Saints. Betrayal hurt, but denying his heart hurt more. He sighed again, the weight of his decision like a steel anvil in his chest.

Ever since they came back from the land of the dead, he had recognized his feelings. They had been there before, but because of the chaos of war he never had the chance to explore them. Now he knew it for what it was: Shura was in love with Aphrodite, and knew that if he tried hard enough he could steal the Pisces away and make him his own.

Hanging his head, he trudged back to his own temple through the empty Aquarius with only one thought on his mind: Deathmask was going to kill him.

EPILOGUE 

"Shura! Shura, wake up!"

Groggily, Shura opened his eyes, the pounding in his head reminding him that he drank a little too much the day before. Something was shaking him, a turquoise blur before his eyes. He blinked, and Aphrodite's face came into focus.

"What's going on?" he asked, lips curving to a smile. It was nice to be awoken by the object of his affection.

"What day is it?"

"Um, Monday?"

"No, I mean the date."

Shura thought for a moment. "June 25th, I think."

Aphrodite stared, stared hard, with eyes rough like diamonds and an expectant expression as if waiting for Shura to say more. Shura thought hard. What was so important about the date? What was today? The first day of summer, perhaps? But by the way Aphrodite was glaring at him, he knew it had to be more important than that. Then it hit him.

"Oooh," Shura groaned, closing his eyes and hiding his face behind an arm. "Deathmask's birthday was yesterday."

"Yes it was, and I completely forgot!" Aphrodite began to pace beside the bed. "We've been friends for seventeen years and not once have I remembered his birthday on his birthday. I told myself last week that this would be the year I would remember, and now look what's happened!"

"Sorry. It is my fault. I am the one who dragged you out."

"No, it's not your fault. It's mine. I should have been the one to remember." He stopped moving and looked at Shura with glistening eyes and pouty lips. "I wasn't too mean to him yesterday, was I?"

Shura smiled. "No more than usual."

"What am I going to do, Shura? I don't have a gift for him. Hell, I don't even have a card for him."

"The best gift you can give him is yourself, Dite." It hurt to say that, but Shura knew it was true.

Aphrodite smiled. "You don't think he'll be upset with me?"

"Not a chance. Just pretty yourself up, run downstairs, eat his food and get him off. He won't care that you forgot what yesterday was."

"Come with me."

"No way." Truth was, Shura would love to go, because he knew that they would include him in their activities, but he wanted love, not lust. "I have a splitting headache and want to go back to sleep."

"Oh." Aphrodite's expression turned to one of concern. "Would you like me to get you some aspirin?"

"No, that's okay. More sleep and I should be fine." Shura was touched by the concern.

"Okay, then. I'm going to get ready." Aphrodite turned to leave.

"Dite?"

"Mm?" They faced each other.

"Why do you not wait until Deathmask comes up to use the Kyokou's spa? You know he can't resist going up there at least once a day."

Aphrodite smiled. "That's a great idea. It shouldn't be too much longer, and I'll be waiting for him when he arrives. Thanks, Shura."

"Not a problem. Have fun."

"Oh, I will." Aphrodite raced from the Capricorn temple. There was no doubt in Shura's mind about what the Pisces was thinking.

If only Aphrodite would think that way about him. Shura let out a soft sigh, closed his eyes, and drifted back to dreamland among visions of the beauty whose presence he could no longer feel.

owari  
06-28-2007

1 - Here are the meals Deathmask created, from the book _Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen,_ by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, in order of appearance:

Fried Squid, Stuffed Artichokes, Stuffed Rice Balls, Tri-Color Salad, Tuscan Twice-Boiled Soup, Potato Gnocchi, Seared Filet Mignon with Braised Chunky Vegetables, Stuffed Rolls of Veal, Chicken Cacciatore, Shrimp in the Scampini Style, Marinated Cabbage Salad, Sautéed Whole Radishes, Sautéed Summer Vegetables, Honey Balls and Cannoli.


End file.
